47 DIY Homemade Cleaners Recipes That Work! {Surprisingly Easy}

Get ready for some serious savings with these simple DIY Homemade Cleaners Recipes and Tips!

On the hunt for some Homemade Cleaners Recipes and DIY Homemade Cleaning Solutions?? Get ready to load up on some serious inspiration.

Not only are these recipes a more natural version of your store-bought favorites, they’ll also save loads of money! Are you ready for some ridiculously easy ways to swap out your old cleaners with new homemade versions? Let’s get started!

Comments

Help I need advise. We recently opened a gym. I’m wanting to make our own green cleaning solution. But afraid the vingear and scented oil might discolor leather seats that are RED. Any experience with leather?
We are beginners and not sure if water is necessary in mixture, some say yes some say no????

We have a gym and I was wanting to make our own cleaning solution. On the metal equipment I believe it will be fine. But the seats are red leather, will it be safe to use on them? I’m a beginner making our own solution.

HI, does anyone have a recipe for making tablets the size of
cupcakes that are used in the bottom of the bathtub,when taking a shower.Vapors are released when the hot steam hits. This helps congestion of the sinus.I saw a recipe on a website,can’t remember the site. I remember the tablets are made of baking soda,3 essential oils & some water. Baked in muffin lined pans,then cooled several hours. Thanks, if you can help. Sylvia

My husband found your web site and I’m a prson tat loves to do things myself to save money.. I’ve made your laundry and fab soft. and they are GREAT!!! I have a girl that has really oily hair. The stores do NOT sell shampoo for oily hair anymore. Is there a recipe for shampoo for poily hair.. wold just love it .. thanks for being there girls.. love your site. 🙂

Removing yellow urine from rugs—if fresh, remove as much “wet” as you can…mist with water to re-wet and sprinkle with corn starch—cover with paper towel, copy paper, something, and let it dry. You’ll be amazed at the amount of “yellow” that absorbed in to the corn starch—vacuum up, and do again if needed. When satisfied with that, shampoo as usual.

I just found a handy trick to clean my stone cookware. Mix half a cup baking SODA with 3tablespoons water. I just used my hand to scrub the areas that needed it. I bought a stone piece at a garage sale and it had been kept with metal pans. The soda mix got all the stains off SUPER easy and there are no chemicals! The added plus is, by using my hands, now they are scrubbed soft, like a hand scrub!

I have a rather strange question, I buy very large bags of dog and cat food, along with the largest parrot and cockatiel food, being I am on disability and purchase their foods once a month I am finding I have these little moth like critters coming around the food storage area and around my birds dishes, does anyone have a solution or suggestion I could use to stop this, I did fit the bird food in the freezer, the cat and dog food comes in such big bags I don’t believe I can get them in the fridge…hummm.. unless I repack in smaller bags… my cages are changes every day, during the summer months and every 2 days in the winter.. anyone with a idea please contact me… Thank you, DarMar

Love everything i have read,made and used.. I am a grandma, and have lots of experience with lots of different things.. One being , the use of milk to get out unwashed blood stains. They sometimes use it in the hospital on carpet. One lady who made wedding dresses used ammonia when she accidently stuck her finger while sewing. took out the blood and didnt leave any spot.Milk will also remove some permanent markers. Once a marker was in the dryer with my little grandaughters new B’Day dress. It looked like poka dots all over.. I soaked it in milk and washed it again and they all came out.. I did rub it some between my hands first though.. so gentle to use.. This is kinda gross to think about,, but milk is blood originally.Thank you all for your wonderful contributions… Reba

What can I use for real wood floors? We’re overseas & I’ve tried the mop & glo type cleaner for wood floors but it makes my floor sticky. What can I use that won’t show prints 30 sec later & won’t leave the floor sticky?

We have an orange carpet in our house. I mean, bright orange. Somehow we always end up with brown, dirt and pet stains all over it that make the carpet well, ugly, and the stained spots are incredibly stiff. Any ideas on how I can get the stains out?

My son and his best friend (both 10 years old) did their science fair project by making the laundry detergent like the one you’ve posted. It’s a Duggar one, I believe. Very good stuff…I should know…I got the fruits of their labor…20gallons of laundry soap. Now, I’m gonna make the fabric softener for sure! Thanks!

I have asthma so I have to stay away from perfumes and harsh chemicals, here is one cleaning tip for any glass surface. Use two microfiber clothes , one wet to clean one dry to dry off. Your mirrors will sparkle. You can add a dab of dish soap to the wet cloth if heavy buildup, you may have to rinse. Also Dollar tree has hand towel size that is perfect for drying.

This may sound off the wall, but does anyone out there have a solution that I can make to kill poison sumac? I have 2 clusters of them in the area of my home, I cannot sit outdoors in those areas I am so allergic to the sumac, I welcome any suggestions, I want to try to catch this while they are still down and not as high as trees… Thanks to everyone with suggestions… Darlene

This may sound kind of odd, but to get bad stains out of laundry (even blood or grease) use Brake cleaner. You can get a good sized can at walmart for maybe $2… It doesnt smell that great when you spray it on, or put the clothes into the dryer but after its all dry you dont smell the cleaner anymore. It works great!!

This is awesome! I just came from Safeway and didn’t buy windex thinking I would make my own glass cleaner. Now I don’t have to look around how. Does anyone know how to make homemade bubble bath for kids?

I have tried this and it is supposed to even work outside for fire ants etc, Cream of wheat ,,dry sprinkled around where they travel. they love it and take it to their homes. when they eat it , it swells up and they cant digest it,, sounds cruel,but is non toxic and has worked good for me even in the garden.

My daughter’s Herbal lady told her about using things like peppermint oil and other oils mixed in water for cleaning. The one using peppermint is a general cleaner. I will have to call and get the recipes and other oils that she uses. They really do clean and it smells so good during and afterwards.

To clean tubs, surround tiles and glass doors use equal parts of vinegar and Dawn. Heat the vinegar and add to Dawn in a spray bottle. All the reviews say it cleans them and leaves them spotless. Also will clean and shine sink and shower fixtures to look like new.

I am so glad I came across this site! I’ve been planning on making fabric softener because it’s the one thing I am struggling to get for cheap with coupons. Thank you for posting this and I plan to continue checking out your site and your facebook for more helpful, frugal tips.
Thanks again,
-Chelsea

Good morning all. The other day I made the laundry soap. Can someone please tell me what the consistency is suppose to be? My soap, initially, had a gelled appearance, but after shaking the bottle appears liquefied again. Is this how it should appear? Thanks All!

For cleaning your microwave put a bowl of vinegar water in the microwave heat for about 2 – 2.5 minutes and all the junk and grime wipes off easily. Tip- I use the hot vinegar water that I ran through my coffee maker.

I have a recipe for homemade “Bottom Spray” for your baby when changing diapers. In a 4oz spray bottle (in travel section at Walmart or Target) add 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp baby bath soap, and fill with water. You’ll need to shake it when you use it but it’s great! After you have wiped your baby’s bottom, give it a spray or two for and wipe one last time. The soap and water clean and the baby oil moisterizes.

i have been using the Laundry soap recipe for over a year now… i think it’s good.. but our Tshirts and sometimes denim stinks.. like has an old ,sour smell.. what causes this ? Also, how do clean out an HE washer ? It has an old, yucky smell too ??? HELP !!

Hi Betsy ~ for my HE Washer, I use Clorox Washing Machine Cleaner {or just bleach} and run it through with nothing else in the washer on the hot sanitizing mode about once a month or so. I also always leave the door to the washer open when not in use, and dry out with a cloth between the rubber seals after every use. {that tip comes from my sister-in-law, and has helped a bunch!} Hope that helps!

HI-WE OWNED SEVERAL CARPET CLEANING FRANCHISES FOR 20 YRS-OUR SON NOW OWNS IT. JUST USE BAKING SODA AND WATER TO CLEAN UP THE STICKY RESIDUE FROM THE CARPET CLEANERS. This may take several times to get it all out-depending on how sticky your carpet is. Let dry between spotting-also don’t overrub the carpet(this causes wear) just blot.

I have been searching for more ways to save my family of 5 money. With the economy the way it is and the price of all products including food has risen. Therefore I have become a couponing momma so to speak and penny pinching diligently=-] I soooo soooo love this site and all the homemade recipes which save on the moola. Added to the cost effective items is the healthy additive to it. Thank you so much for all these recipes and added ways to save money.

I love this site!!! It has so many great ideas. I am looking for a way to make homemade disinfecting wipes like the Lysol ones you buy. They are so expensive but I love the convenience and the quick disinfecting and throw away option. Does anyone have anyideas or recipes? thank you in advance for your help and ideas

We are startingto make our own cleaners and have found just about everything thing I need except for one for the dishwasher soap preferably a powder but liquid will do to ?? Anyone have a recipe for that please share need soon so don’t have to go by some lol. THX

1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup washing soda
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup citric acid….(we use this in water for new batches of weaned pigs when they come in…we purchase it from the Feed Mill at our local elevator in 50 lb bags…dont know where to tell you to buy it otherwise as we always have it on hand but it has to be around…do a google search.

Put in a container and shake it up…It will clump up on sometimes which isnt a big deal as they will dissolve in wash cycle…I have noticed if I shake it often…like every day…it stays fine. Use 1 tbsp. /scoop for each trap..
I also use straight vinegar as my rinse agent…my glasses always look spotless.
Was very impressed the first load of dishes I did using this recipe…it was amazing the difference in appearance in everything…so bright and clean.
Good Luck…hope you like it

Im looking for a alternative to clorax colorsafe bleach- my daughter has a feeding tube that leaks blood and other stomach fluids on her clothes and sheets. I use homemade laundry soap – borax,washing soda and fels napa. I need a good stain remover but hate paying for clorox its expensive. Any ideas? I have tried oxy clean.

Often times, just using a bit of soap on the stain and scrubbing it out will get it out completely. I’ve also used hydrogen peroxide to get out dried in blood stains. or, if you have borax, dampen the stain with water, sprinkle some borax over it, and leave it alone for a half hour. Come back to it and in a bucket, agitate it with your hands (a sort of kneading motion, like making bread) and a bit of scrubbing if the agitating motion isn’t getting it out will do the job. I’ve also read that some rubbing alcohol will revitalize old stains and thus will make it easier to get out.

When I broke my leg in 2001, the nurses told my mom to use straight peroxide on the blood in the carpet. I have since used it to get blood out of my hubby’s clothes (he is a bleeder). It works great! I have not had any problem with discoloration of clothes or carpet but I would still check your clothing for color fastness. Hope this helps.

I used to have a bissel…instead of putting the cleaner in the soltion part i would add vinegar…the house did have a strong vinegar scent but my carpets always looked better and they weren’t “stiff” like they were when i used the commerical cleaner…

I have been using the homemade laundry detergent recipe for the last 3 years. I LOVE IT!!! I make it,put it in mason jars and give it as gifts. It’s so easy to make and affordable and works great on clothes. I made a believer out of my husband with it. We have five kids between us and laundry NEVER stops,so this is one more way for us to save money without losing quality. I also make it for my mother to use on my dad and sister’s clothing. They are both very physically ill people and have sensitive skin. They never have skin problems using the homemade detergent.

Hello, I used to have a recipe for a spray bottle to clean my kitchen counter tops, but lost it. It was water/bleach/and my favorite smell of Pine-Sol, or you could even use Mr.Clean. Can you, or rather, shall I ask, do you know the ratio to make this spray? It makes the whole house smell SO good!! If I shall change my mind on using bleach, what could I use instead, ammonia? Sometimes I worry about getting bleach on my clothes.
Thank you!

For fleas,sprinkle borax all over floors, work into carpets with a broom. Leave overnight or all day while away. Come home and vacuum it alll up. Works great without harsh chemicala, and leaves the house with a clean, fresh scent

I had a huge flea problem last year and tried everything including the borax method with no luck. We were ready to rip up all of the carpet. I own a Eureka Enviro Steamer and decided as a last resort to use it in every room. It worked so good! I think maybe after that I saw just a couple of fleas. I have also heard that the steamers work to kill bed bugs.

You can also use just plain old table salt. sprinkle it thru your carpet and on your fabric furniture it will get rid of the fleas. Let it set for about 3-4 hours the runt he vac. you get up the salt and the dead fleas.

I read yrs ago to put out a nightlight in areas pet goes in and under it a small bowl of water with a drop or so of dish liquid. I have used this for yrs. off and on when we have a problem. And to check if we have a problem in spring and summer months especially.You will be surprised how it gets fleas,gnats,spiders. They love that warm light and can’t get out of the Dawn water. Getting ready to put mine out since we had a warm winter this yr.

Yes, I have used both. When I use bleach, I do the 1-10 mix. Being a nurse, this is what we used to clean up spills…would even kill HIV germs if such were in a blood spill! If you have never read about the peroxide, do a search…it is awesome and cost effective!

I love this cleaner. I also have it in spray bottles in the essential rooms…..for me this also works great on carpets, I have kitties and no smell, no stains, and no toxins. Love this site, thank you for the wonderful ideas.

I just wanted to say “Thank you” for all the wonderful tips for saving money. I started making my own 409, fabric softener and washing detergent this week and I could not believe the difference in my laundry. Thanks again Frugal Girls.

have granite counter tops??? or basic countertops in kitchen and or bathroom? I have a Bissell steam mop and let me tell you what an awesome job it does on granite countertops without any chemicals. The countertops sparkle, smudges and muck comes off with ease (the steam mop comes with 2 cloth head covers so prior to doing the floors we hit the counters!!) and love the fact that the counters are sterilized pretty much without any chemicals.

My husband accidentally hit a candle that was lit and the wax spilled onto a sweater that was near it. The sweater is not a thick weave but a looser knit weave. I went to the fabric store and they didn’t know of anything that I could use to remove the wax. I read somewhere about using towels, and iron, and a lot of blotting but would like to use something easier if I could. Thanks for the help.

a hair dryer on the low setting and paper towels work great and it really doesnt take long. One of our tenants got candle wax on the carpet in a bedroom and I had it cleaned up within a couple minutes.

Set a wet towel on top and iron, it transfers to the wet towel, this also works on carpet. We spilled a RED candle on lt beige carpet, came out! Learned it from a friend in the carpet cleaning business!

Try cleaning them with Finish dishwashing powder. All you do is mix it with water like you do when you mop the floor normally. It takes everything up and makes white tile white again gets rid of every little dirt spot I cinderella clean (on my hands and knees) and it works great! I use it in my jacuzzi tub also! I learned all this from working at a resort!

actually I sat in a chair that a candle was knocked over in– my brand new pantsuit was ruined– and since it was – I placed in a large pot on stove with almost boiling hot water, the wax (oil) floated to the top and I used paper towels to remove wax from the water– turned off pot and then placed brown paper bags over item and ironed, turning bag often until all wax was gone.

Instead of buying dryer sheets, I use a washcloth and fabric softener. I put some into a spray bottle (undiluted) and put about six or seven squirts onto each side of the washcloth and throw it into the dryer. Works just as good as a dryer sheet and is great for the environment. I always do my towels last so I then throw the washcloth in that load and wash and dry as normal.

Instead of scrubbing a pot, pan, or dish that has baked-on crud on it, fill it with hot water and put a dryer sheet in the water. Let it sit for an hour and all the food will slide right of the edges. Even used dryer sheets work. When I get done with a load of laundry, I just put the used sheets under my kitchen sink. I know this sounds weird, but it works amazingly! This trick also works for cleaning paintbrushes.

this really does work. I actually tried it last night on some baked on chicken i had in the dish i baked it in. I just added a little hot water, put the fabric softener in and let it soak while I was finishing up cooking the last bit of dinner. About 10 minutes or so later dumped the water out, threw away the fabric softner and the pan wiped out clean.

Be Careful! I have read numerous places not to mix vinegar and peroxide. Here is one explanation:When cleaning with vinegar, make sure that it does not come in contact with hydrogen peroxide. Mixing the two will create Peracetic Acid (C2H4O3).

The toxicity of Peracetic Acid is low. However, peracids are extremely irritating to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. It has a strong oxidizing potential, is highly corrosive, and can explode at temperatures exceeding 110ºC.

Gorgeously Green All Purpose Spray-I make up a spray bottle for the Kitchen & Bathroom. Cuts Grease, germs & grime and it smells good. You can use it on just about everything:Fridge, counter tops, walls, doorknobs, toilet seats, sinks & so on.

This spray is suitable for acrylic, ceramic tile, wood, marble & granite. For other Great Money Saving & Green Products you might want to get this book…Gorgeously Green 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life. Love, Love, Love this book. Lots and lots of Information and some really Good Green Recipes for use indoors, outdoors and some cooking recipes. Enjoy!!

I started making homemade laundry soap about 6-7 months ago and I LOVE it! With 8 kids and 3 grandkids laundry is an every day chore. The money I have saved on laundry soap has been amazing. I have told a number of friends about it and several have tried it and liked it.

HELP!!!! Can anyone tell me (at this point it doesn’t matter cost/chemical embedded,etc.) if you know of anything that will take permanent parker off of a leather seat and cloth top in a vehicle. My 2 year old found one that his brother accidently dropped and now….you know the rest of the story. I would be grateful for any suggestions. I know it says “permanent” for a reason but I am hoping all is not lost. Thank you to all my frugal friends!

I can say about a car but I got permanet marker on my suede comforter,I removed it with hairspray and alcohol.I worked really well and then rinsed it really well because the material was stiff.Hope this helps.

I agree… Mr. Clean Eraser WILL clean anything. Use it inside your glass coffee pot, one whoosh and the stains are gone. Use it on glass cassarole dishes to get off those black/brown burnt-on, left-over food particals. I have used them on cookie sheets. Removes soap scum inside the tub/shower walls. Great for leather shoes….

Does anyone have any recipes for homemade “shower clean”? I’m talking about the stuff you spray on the shower after you get out. As it is, I am using scrubbing bubbles automatic cleaner in a spray bottle since the little sprayer machine stopped working despite fresh batteries. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated!

I keep a spray bottle with a mixture of bleach and water in the shower. My family uses this each time we take a shower and just spray all the surfaces. I even spray the back of the shower curtain liner. This really keeps it clean and sanitized. Just be careful not to spray any fabric (curtains, towels, etc.)

Also if you use bleach/water mixture. Be very careful about using too much bleach per water and then breathing the fumes. That will burn your nose hair off! LOL (I learned from experience, I’m said to say!)

Thanks so much for all of these tips! I had a new Army wife email me once she checked their LES (the shutdown week) & I was able to remember most of these & pass them on. I’m almost out of laundry detergent & since the possible shutdown scared the bejeebers out of me too, I’ll be making my own this week.

I have really hard water and it leaves the water marks and spots behind on my glass shower doors. I have found that to get them really clean with very little effort use Lysol toilet bowl cleaner and one of the green scrubby pads it will take off all of the water marks and make the glass look new just be sure to wear rubber gloves so the Lysol does not get on your hands. It is not too expensive and what ever is left you have to clean your toilets with.

Magic Erasers!! My new house had HORRIBLE hard water stains, couldn’t see out of the shower! Wiped it with the magic Erasers and they are crystal clear! I keep one in there and periodically wipe to keep them clear

Hey Dawn,
Use baby oil on a rag and wipe away all the soap scum and white streaks/spots from the doors and all the chrome trim on the door frames. I have been doing it here for years. Leave some of the baby oil on the chrome and doors too, it almost acts as a wax and the water will bead off. I usually do this once a month, that’s it and it takes me 15 minutes or less.

1-1 ratio of dishwashing liquid & vinegar. I personally used my homemade dishwasher liquid, & it worked better than the 1st batch I made with commercial dishwashing liquid. Heat the vinegar in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Pour it into a spray bottle & mix it with an equal amount of dishwashing liquid. Spray it on the shower door & chill for about 2 hours (I didn’t wait, & it still worked, but I didn’t have a really disgusting mess). Rinse it off well & enjoy the clarity!!! I also saw that if you want to KEEP the ick off your shower once it’s gone, use RainX. Sounds logical!

To clear military housing our windows had to be perfectly streak-free. I poured full strength vinegar onto a rag, wiped it all wet & then used another rag to dry. My rags are just old dishtowels or washcloths, nothing fancy. I have gotten a few microfiber ones from the dollar store I like & they don’t seem to streak my bathroom mirrors.

I have the same problem with a large mirror in my living room. I have tried EVERYTHING- vinegar, newspapers, etc…still streaky. I recently bought a microfiber cleaning cloth for my new t.v. and I tried it on my mirror. It works like a champ! Just spray the cloth with a little water and rub the mirror in small sections 🙂

I once worked at a hotel. The cleaning lady there used nothing but a hot wet rag and a dry rag. No cleaner at all. She would wipe the entry door (all glass) with the wet rag, then dry it with the dry rag. Never a streak! I now do this on all my mirrors and windows. Works great and is free.

I have sprayed the floor with 409 and let it sit for like 5 minutes then scrubbed whith a bristle scrub brush and then mop the floor. A friend of mine and I have a cleaning business and this gets pretty much anything off of the linoleum. Hope it works for you!

shampoo will do the trick, works removing form your hair & entire bath too ! in a spray bottle combine by filling bottle 1/3 shampoo of choice and 2/3 water, spray onto area & let sit a minute and wipe off with a clean sponge, if major build up like on floor allow to sit longer and use clean mop to wipe up

When my husband (who is a diesel Mechanic) runs out of “his” hand soap, he uses cheapo (suave) shampoo, preferably one that is good for greasy hair, and it works great! Good for those once in a while at home car maintenance jobs

Recipe for Homemade Stain remover for clothing:
In a large spray bottle add 1/2 cup of laundry detergent, 1/2 cup of ammonia and then fill the rest of the way to the top with water. Shake well. I spray this on stains and then use an old toothbrush to rub it in well so it penatrates the stain. I have 4 & 5 year old boys and this stuff has saved me a lot of money on stain removers.

Wondering if anyone has tried this stain remover and if you had good luck with it? Does it work for all stains? Would appreciate any comments on this one. I use the former Spray and Wash Spray Can which has worked best for me! Thx

I’ve tried almost every deep conditioning treatment out there. After getting tired of spending anywhere from $15-$40 for so-so products, I did some research and now make my own.

Mix the following together:
2 Egg Yolks
2 Tbsp Mayonnaise (optional since mayo contains egg and olive oil, but it helps the treatment to not be as runny)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Honey

Apply mixture to hair and cover with a plastic cap (I recycle a plastic grocery bag, twist to fit my head, and tape in place).

Wrap a towel around plastic covered head and hang out for 15-30 minutes (the towel and plastic combo helps the treatment penetrate better using your own body heat, no need for a dryer).

Shampoo and condition as normal.

This treatment makes my hair feel like heaven and really brings out the shine. The egg yolk adds protein, the olive oil adds moisture, the mayo adds both protein and moisture, and the honey gives incredible shine.

I’ve been using apple cider vinegar to rinse/condition my hair for a while now and I love it. I wash my hair, rinse it, spray ACV on, work in with fingertips, put a shower cap on, finish showering and when done, take off cap, rinse hair and it shines like the sun and is soft as can be. All with no vinegar scent. I love it.

i use strictly baking soda and water to wash my hair and water and apple cider vinegar and water to condition it. I have VERY longhair and don’t have any issues with needing to use any other type of deep conditioner or other additive in my hair.

Years ago my sister told me about this great stain removing trick, it works especially good for removing baby food stains from clothing as well as yellow underarm stains and makes sport socks sparkle. The recipe is:
1 cup of liquid bleach
1 cup of cascade powder dishwashing liquid
1 cup of powder laundry detergent
Fill washing machine with the hottest water you can. Place the above ingredients in and allow to agitate for about 2 minutes. Place clothing in machine and let it run through 1 wash cycle. Turn machine off and allow articles to soak over night or at least 8 hours. Put the machine through the entire cycle again. When you remove the clothes you will be shocked how clean they are and stain free.

THANK YOU!!!
My girlfriend used this recipe YEARS ago (we’re Grannies now). She bought almost ALL of her kid’s clothing from garage sales (her husband was a cheap scape). This got out the stains on the clothing so they looked NEW!
27 years later:
I have a friend who now buys and sells antique linens and I have been trying to find this recipe!!! XO

My mom told me to help clean out your dishwasher and make it smell better and give your dishes a pretty shine to get one packet of lemon flavored Kool Aide and put it in the part that has the lid and run the washer for a whole cycle. It starts to smell lemony fresh and looks great and the dishes and glasses don’t spot anymore. Lots cheaper than other dishwasher agents!!

You can use lemonade flavored Koolade to clean your toilets. First, add the packet of drink mix to the bowl, brush as you normally would to clean it, then let sit for 4 hours or overnight. The citric acid in the drink mix is what actually does the work….Just be sure to close the lid if you have animals….

To clean coffee pots or anything that is heavy spoiled by coffee stains. Crushed ice, Comet (yes Comet) and water. Swish, swish and swish and clean with sponge/scrubber
This is how resturatants clean their coffee pots. They will sparkle afterwards.

Just be carefull if your dishes have paint on them. Mom has glasses with paint on them that have been washed in the dishwaser for years, but the paint started to wash off when she started adding lemon juice to her load.

To clean rings out of the toilet, this works great. First, flush the toilet and when the water is all flushed out turn it off back behind the toilet. Then spray the entire ring with warm vinegar. Sprinkle that with Borax and let sit for 1/2 hour. Then scrub the ring with drywall sandpaper. You can get this at any building supply store. With a very little elbow grease, the ring will come right off!

Not at all. The turnoff valve should sit on a water hose or pipe just behind the toilet. When all the water is flushed out, just turn the knob the only way it will go. This turns off the water to the toilet. Good luck!

If you use a johnny mop, you can easily push the water down the toilet. Then use a pumice stone to rub the ring out. It really works and doesn’t scratch the bowl. p.s. never use a razor blade, the cold water can shatter the blade putting your eyes in danger.

Use water. Pour a big container of water into the toilet – pour it ‘hard’. It will ‘flush’ the water level down for you.
What water do I use?
Sometimes I will use a large container or tub to do the dishes in. Then I use this water to dump in the toilet.

When I empty the small plastic trash can in the bathroom, sometimes I want to wash it out. So I fill it 2/3 full from the tub, wash/swish, and dump this water into the toilet.

Also, I frequently soak my feet in Epsom salts or just plain warm water. Then, you guessed it, I use THAT water to pour in the tub.

Many times we have a bucket of water that can be used double duty. Just keep that trick in mind. There’s nothing to dumping the water, sprinkling on your comet or baking soda mixed with lemon juice, and walking away. Scrub brush it just before you want to sit down … easy peasy 🙂

Love the site and already made my batch of 409, it works great. I received a refillable mop for Christmas and was looking for homemade floor cleaning recipes to fill the bottle. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks for the help.

We have a small cleaning business and the best product for cleaning floors is, white vinegar and water. Vinegar is a natural rinse agent. It will not streak your floors or cause build up. Not to mention, that you are not breathing in harsh chemicals. This is a great window/glass cleaner also!

With vinegar, a little bit goes a long way. I usually add about 1/4 cup or slightly less to my mop bucket if it’s a regular sized bucket. If you have a large or extra large bucket, you could use 1/2 a cup probably.

Just DO NOT use Vinegar on Granite surfaces!! It eats away the granite and will cause holes.
You want to avoid any type of acidic cleaner on a granite surface; that’s because acids will cause etching in the surface, which are tiny lines and fissures. Etching mars the surface of granite. Since vinegar is a strong acid, you want to leave it on the shelf when choosing a cleaner for your granite. It will clean and disinfect the surface, but it can also mar the finish permanentl

I add just a DROP of Dawn to my spray bottle of vinegar too. It cleans almost anything including windows. Stainless steel sinks with lime/water spots too. The Dawn helps break up gunk stuck to floors and counters as well.

We have laminate floors and were instructed specifically to not use vinegar or water……..only LAMINATE cleaner or swifter cleaner. If you use the least bit too much water, within a year or two, your floor will become dull and start to bubble. That is what they told us. i have a friend that used vinegar and water, and 2 years later, her floors look terrible

I have laminate floors, and we too were instructed not to use vinegar and water because it would dull and bubble your floors within 2 years which happened to our cousins. However, if I use laminate floor cleaner, it acts like a polish, causing every single footprint, etc to show up right after I clean it. I found a site that recommends using 1/3 water, 1/3 vinegar and 1/3 alcohol. BUT, the catch is to do a small area, then go right behind yourself and wipe it with a paper towel until dry. My floors looked claen for several days, unlike when I use laminate floor cleaner.

My husband is the manager of a carpet cleaning company and he always tells me if I have to clean up pee use 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. Spray it on but don’t saturate it you don’t want to wash it into the pad. Then lay a towel over it and stand on it till it feels dry to the touch. You can place something heavy on it and let it sit. If that doesn’t work you will have to call a prfessional to clean it up. If you do call someone make sure to ask what they clean with. You want someone that uses an enzyme. It breaks down the dirt & oils in the carpet unlike soaps that attract dirt & make your carpet look dirty faster. I use the enzyme my husbands company uses to wash my laundry. Some companies use soaps so they get repeat business. Also don’t get suckered into protector. Most carpet now comes with it on it and if yours didn’t then it is old carpet and the protector won’t do you any good. Hope this helps.

Another item for helping to wick up liquid is a disposable diaper. Open flat and lay it on the wet area. As you walk on it wicks up the liquid without reintroducing the liquid into the floor/rug. I kept these in my van when I had small children as it was a quick pick up for any liquid spill!

hydrogen peroxide diluted w/ water has always worked for me. My carpets range from blue to dark grey and beige. You’ll want to test for colorfastness prior to putting it on, I just use a spray bottle with the mix *you need to use it as soon as you mix it, it won’t ‘keep’* My mom swears by oxyclean for her dog messes, she also mixes it in a spray bottle and saturates the area, lets it sit, pats it up w/ a towel. Hope this helps 😉

Oxiclean worked for me, but test a small spot to make sure it doesn’t lighten more than the carpet. I have also saturated area in vinegar, then spinkled baking soda, generously. let dry (do not blot) then vacuum.